The present invention relates generally to the field of child support and restraint devices, and more particularly to a novel child support device designed to safely hold an infant child within a shopping cart child seat and to restrain the child from falling forward or to the side inside the cart seat, and from teething on the handle or other parts of the shopping cart.
The rear of a typical grocery shopping cart includes a section hinged at the bottom rear of the cart basket which can swing out to form a "mini-basket" open at the top. This mini-basket is used either as a convenient storage area for small items, or as a seat for a small child. The child sits in the mini-basket facing the rear of the cart with his or her legs extending through two openings formed by the purposely wide placement of several of the metal or plastic ribs forming the rear wall of the shopping cart.
The relatively large size and open design of a typical shopping cart child's seat makes it too easy for an active infant to fall forward or to the side within the seat causing injury. Older infants and toddlers can even climb or fall out of the cart. In addition, the child will frequently lean forward and teethe on the unsanitary handle or other parts of the shopping cart.
A recent six year study by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission of injuries to children from shopping cart accidents showed 53,403 reported injuries requiring emergency room treatment, of which 40,910 were injuries to the head. Prior art designs for improved shopping cart child seats have been concerned either with making a more comfortable seat, or with using belts and straps to safely hold in very young infants unable to walk or sit up on their own, rather than with the problem of restraining curious and active infants and toddlers.
Examples of the prior art include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,070,384 to Buczak, and 3,184,248 to Hummer, both of which are simply more comfortable hammock-type designs for a shopping cart child seat. Related to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,108,489 and 4,204,695 to Salzman describe a collapsible child seat that fits into a shopping cart child seat and is able to more securely hold an infant and includes straps for additional protection. U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,430 to Dimas, Jr., et al. is for a cushioned infant carrier that is also designed to fit into and attach to a shopping cart child seat.
It is thus seen that there is a serious lack of and need for a shopping cart child seat support suitable for restraining the active infant.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a child support device that will comfortably support an active infant in a shopping cart child seat and restrain the infant from falling over within the cart child seat or from climbing or falling out of the cart.
Another object of this invention is to prevent a child from teething on parts of the cart.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a child support device for use in shopping carts that is lightweight, easy to transport, and convenient to use.
A significant feature of this invention is its universal design adapted to fit nearly all shopping cart child seats.
Another feature of this invention is that it is easily cleaned.
Yet another feature of this invention is that it allows nesting of one unit into another for convenient storage and shipping, and that units may be easily stacked to make them convenient to set out for use by customers at grocery and other stores.
A significant advantage of this invention is that it accomplishes its support and restraint objectives without the use of belts or other inconvenient or easily subverted means.
Another advantage of this invention is that the child feels comfortable and is provided a sense of security.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the detailed description of certain representative embodiments thereof proceeds.